Whiffletree



C. HASS'INGER.l Whffletree. 1 No. 225,371. Patented Mair. 9, Isso.

, v-eJ/zZoJ" N. PETERS. PHDTD-UTHDGRPHE. WASHINGTON, D. CA

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES HASSINGER, OF PLYMOUTH, MICHIGAN.

WHIFFLETREE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters :Patent No. 225,371, datedrMarch 9, 1880.

Application filed Januaryl S, 1880.

To all. whom t may concern:

Bc it known that I, CHARLES HAssINeEE, of Plymouth, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented an Improve ment in W'hiftletrees, of which the following' is a specification.

The nature of my invention relates to certain new and useful.improvements in the construction of whiftletrees, by means ot' which the tugs or traces of the harness may be lengthened or shortened at will without the necessity of going between the horses, or of the use of buckles, with which the harness is usually supplied for that purpose.

The invention consists in the peculiar construction and operation of the Whifetree and its combination with a trace-chain, as more fully hereinafter described. Y

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view or' one end of my improved 'Whifiietrea and Fig. 2 is a like view of the other end, with the locking device open to show the internal construction and the operation of the whiflietrees.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of `this specification, A represents a whiftletree ot' the ordinary construction, except that it is not provided at its ends with hooks or other ordinary devices to Which the harness tugs or traces are usuallyT secured.

On the rear side of each end of this whifietree there is cut a groove, ce, to receive the end of a trace-chain, b. This groove is covered by a gate, b', hinged to the end band, c. To the inner face of this gate there is rigidly secured a stud or lug, d. A plate, c, is secured centrally upon the near side of the whiftletree, and at each end this plate is provided with a perforated lug, h, which, when the gate is closed, passes through` the slot in the end thereof, when the hook-latch t' secures the parts together, and the center piece, gates, and end from breaking.

In practice the chain is inserted through the end of the Whifetree into the groove, the gate being open for the purpose. The gate is then closed and fastened, the stud or lug inA the inner face thereof entering the link of the chain, which, at its outer or free end, is provided with a hook or other device by which to connect with a tug.

1f preferred, instead of a chain, a perforated strap of leather or of spring sheet metal may be employed, as the stud entering any ot' the perforationswould hold the strap in place.

The operation of lengthening or 4shortening; the traces is so obvious that further description is unnecessary.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 1. A whifdetree provided with a longitudinal recess or groove on its rear side to receive the end of a trace chain or strap, in combination with a device for holding said chain or strap therein, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, witha whiftletree provided With a longitudinal recess orgroove on its rear side to receive the end of a trace chain or strap, of a gate or covering for said recess and a lug to hold the chain or strap, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a whiffletree provided With -a recess or groove to receive the end of a trace-chain, the combination of the gate b', end bands c, and plate e, the parts being constructed and secured together and adapted to form a truss for the whiietree, substantially as set forth.

CHARLES HASSINGER.

Witnesses:

H. S. SPRAGUE, CHARLES J. HUNT.

bands form a truss to prevent the whifiietree' 

